A multi-storey car park in New York City’s lower Manhattan has collapsed, killing at least one person, injuring five more.
The cause of the collapse is still being investigated but preliminary investigation says weight, old age of the building, and poor maintenance are likely causes.
Photos of the rubble show almost every vehicle in the rubble is a large SUV, typical of the American motoring landscape.
Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine told the local press, “There was construction, there was even installation of an electrical charger for electrical vehicles, but it feels like weight was the culprit here.”
Rescue workers are still searching for if there are more people trapped inside but the unstable structure means that they cannot physically enter the site. A Boston Dynamics robotic dog was seen aiding rescue efforts.
Robotics company Boston Dynamics was acquired by Hyundai Motor Group in June 2021.
Hyundai wants to leverage on Boston Dynamics experience to prepare for a post-car future, with where passenger-carrying drones (Urban Air Mobility), driverless cars, and human-assisting robots will aid in the car of the elderly and persons with limited mobility.